Retainer for oscillator system

ABSTRACT

This invention comprehends a means for coupling an oscillator mechanism of a fishing reel to the spool of the fishing reel so that the spool will reciprocate back and forth as the fishing line is wound thereon. The spool shaft is received in a mounting mechanism associated with the yoke strap cam follower portion of the oscillating mechanism. An undercut groove on the shaft facilitates its fastening to the yoke strap.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to fishing reels, and more particularly, relatesto a simple means of securing the central spool shaft of a fishing reelto an oscillator slide that imparts reciprocating motion to the spoolshaft.

2. Background of the Prior Art

It has been customary in the better open face fishing reels to cause thespool attached to the spool shaft to oscillate or reciprocate back andforth as the fishing line is being wound on the spool. One method ofimparting such reciprocating motion is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 2,863,617wherein a center shaft has a pair of spaced circular grooves whichcooperate with a yoke member that is secured to the inside face of thedrive gear. In another much better method, taught in U.S. Pat. No.4,266,739, a dual C-shaped retainer clip secures an oscillator slidethat is driven by an eccentric pin on the face of the oscillator gear tothe center spool shaft. In both teachings, the oscillator mechanismpushes on the outside area of the clip means which is made from verythin sheet metal stock. These thin clips have only the thickness of themetal, from which they are formed, to withstand the shearing actionbetween the dual grooves (in the shaft) and the oscillator means. It hasbeen observed that a much thicker shear piece and a single groove in thespool shaft would be much more advantageous, but such an arrangementdoes not seem to be available in current fishing reels.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a spinning style fishing reel thatincorporates a cam oscillator mechanism to cause the center spool shaftto reciprocate forward and backward and comprehends a means for couplingthe oscillator mechanism to the spool shaft. The coupling meanscomprises a single clip of substantial thickness that snaps over anundercut groove in the spool shaft.

It is therefore an object of invention to provide a simple and fullproof means of coupling the oscillator slide part of the oscillatormechanism to the spool shaft.

It is another object of this invention to provide such a coupling meansthat comprises a flat spring clip.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide such a coupling meansthat comprises a small block of plastic fashioned into the shape of aclip.

It is another object of this invention to provide such a clip means thathas a sufficient thickness that cannot be sheared apart such as theclips of the prior art.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide such a clip thatis positioned between the clevis of the oscillator providing two axialshearing surfaces.

It is still another object of the invention to provide such a couplingmeans that utilizes an undercut portion on the spool shaft and a strapsecurable to the oscillator means.

The above and other and further objects and features will be morereadily understood by reference to the following detailed descriptionand the accompanying drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the spinning style fishingreel containing the invention described herein;

FIG. 2 is a segmented cross-sectional view of one embodiment of theinvention herein;

FIG. 3 is a partial perspective view of one embodiment of the inventionherein;

FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view depicting an embodiment ofinvention described herein;

FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view of another embodiment of theinvention described herein;

FIG. 6 is a partial perspective view of one of the embodiments of theinvention described herein;

FIG. 7 is a partial exploded view incorporating an embodiment of theinvention described herein;

FIG. 8 is a partial elevation view depicting an embodiment of theinvention described herein;

FIG. 9 is a partial perspective view showing an embodiment of theinvention described herein; and,

FIG. 10 is a partial side elevation view of the embodiment of theinvention shown in FIG. 9.

DESCRIPTION OF BASIC STRUCTURE AND OPERATION OF FISHING REEL

In FIG. 1 an open face style fishing reel 1 is shown in an explodedperspective view. The reel 1 having a housing 10 which includes anintegral gear case 28, a stem 12 which connects the housing 10 to amounting foot 11 which is used to attach the reel to a spinning stylefishing rod. The reel includes a crank assembly 40 rotatable about acrank handle shaft 41 with a rotatable winding handle 44 for use by afisherman with his left hand for line retrieval while the rod (notshown) is being held by his right hand. The handle 44 may be disposed onthe other side of the gear case 28 to accommodate the personal desiresof the user.

An axially mounted rotor housing 230 is provided and adapted to rotateabout the axis of the central spool shaft 300 as the crank 40 is turnedfor line retrieval with the line 5 being captured by the bail 270passing over the line roller 272. The bail 270 and the line roller 272rotate with rotor 230 and the fishing line 5 is thereby wound on thespool 290. The screws 281 function as pivot points and are accordinglythe centers of rotation of the bail 270 via the bail arms 260 and 280.

An oscillator mechanism 30 causes the spool 290 to reciprocate axiallyback and forth as the rotor 230 winds a line 5 about the spool 290; butas in spinning reels generally, the spool 290 does not rotate about theaxis of the central shaft 300 except as controllably permitted by theadjustable drag mechanism 50. Such limited rotation of the spool mayoccur during line retrieval when a fish is on the other end of the line5 fighting for its life while still in the water; and, thus the force ofthe drag friction is overcome by tension in the line. This is a featurethat prevents the internal mechanism from being destroyed when a largefish is on the end of the line 5. When the bail 270 is swung to an openposition for casting, the line 5 may freely payout from the spool 290.

In the overall arrangement of the reel, a side cover plate 14 is securedto the housing 10 to cover the gear housing 28 which includes a dragpocket 13 and is accomplished by means of screws 17. The drive gearassembly 150 includes a drive gear 153 that is mounted on the drive gearshaft 154 and is received at one end in the side lip 136 of cam 130.Bearing collar 131 is coaxial with the lip 136 and mounted on theopposite side of the cam surface 133.

The gear assembly 150 and the oscillator cam 130 each have an internalhole and are coaxially mounted on the crank handle 41 with the driveshaft 154 externally mounted in the side plate bearing 15 and thebearing collar 131 mounted in bearing 16 that is part of the side of thehousing 10 and coaxial with bearing 15 (but not shown in FIG. 1).Oscillator slide yoke 140 surrounds cam surface 133 of the cam assembly130 and is slidably mounted near the bearing 16 in the gear case 28.Retainer screw 42 secures the crank handle shaft 41 to the reel 1. Ascan be readily appreciated, the crank assembly 40 can be removed fromthe reel 1 and reversed so that the reel 1 can be held by a fisherman inhis left hand and cranked by his right hand.

Pinion assembly 60 is mounted in the front hole 29 of the front face 25and surrounded by bearing 70 which is kept in place by retainer 72.Mounted inside the gear case 28 on the pinion assembly 60 is theself-centering ratchet 67. In front of retainer 72, a spacer ring 74 anda trip lever 76 are mounted on the pinion 60. The rotor 230 is mountedon the pinion assembly 60 in front of retainer 76 and is secured theretoby means of washer 61 and nut 62. Center spool shaft 300 is rotatablymounted in and supported by the pinion assembly hole 64 with the backend 301 thereof extending past the partition 20 into the drag assembly50. The spool 290 is mounted on the shaft 300 and secured thereto bymeans of spool cap 292. The shaft 300 is secured to the oscillator yokeslide 140 and reciprocates back and forth relative to the rotor when thecrank handle shaft 41 rotates.

Pinion gear 63 mounted at the back of the pinion assembly 60 mates withthe drive gear 153 and is rotatable thereby. The pinion assembly 60 inturn causes the rotor 230 to rotate about the spool 290. Because theoscillator cam assembly 30 and the gear drive assembly 150 are bothoperated by the crank assembly 40 at the same time, the spool 290reciprocates back and forth relative to the rotational motion of theline roller 272 about the spool and by this cooperative movement theline 5 is wound around the spool 290.

The axis 2 of the rotor 230, shaft 300, pinion assembly 60, and dragassembly 50 is approximately perpendicular to the axis 3 of the crankhandle assembly 40, oscillator mechanism 30 and the drive gear assembly150. The axis 2 is located above the axis 3 being nearer to the foot 11.

The bail 270 is normally stored in the "closed" or "retrieve" positionwhereby the line roller 272 functions to wind the line 5 about the spool290 by turning the handle 44 relative to the reel 1. When the bail 270is to be open or placed in the "casting" or "open" position, the bail270 is pivoted about the L-shaped bail ears 231 and 232 and locked inplace by the trip lever 220 that is received by the cam 261 and tripramp 264 surfaces located on the underside of the bail arm 260 (notshown in FIG. 1); the underside of bail arm 260 faces into the cavity ofthe ear 231.

In the casting position, the line 5 is free to payout from the spool290. During casting, this payout of the line is quite rapid, thus, thefisherman using this open faced style fishing reel is obligated to usehis finger to snub the line to arrest the payout since neither therewind or line retrieval mode (the winding of the line about the spool90 by the line roller 272) or the drag mechanism 50 is operational. Inorder to change the bail from the "open" casting position to the"closed" rewind or retrieve position, the rotor 230 is rotated causingthe trip lever 220 to disengage from the trip ramp 264 permitting thebail return springs 283 and 284 to pivot the bail 270 back to theretrieve position.

A feature of this fishing reel is a self-centering bail mechanism thatpermits the rotation of the rotor 230 to the same position for openingthe bail 270 at the optimum casting position. A self-centering lever arm350 is mounted within the gear case by means of screw 351 and washer 352with the back end 354 of the arm 350 in operable engagement with theself-centering button 80. The lever arm spring 353 mounted on the drivegear shaft 154 urges the pawl end 355 toward the ratchet 67. But, withthe button 80 in the back position, the pawl 355 is pivoted out ofengagement with the ratchet 67. When the button 80 is in the forwardposition closer to the stem 12 and farther from the drag assembly 50,then the bottom of the button 80 permits the pawl end 355 of the arm 350to come into PG,9 contact with the ratchet 67 so that the rotor 230 canbe rotated "backwards" (counter to thee direction of rotation forwinding the line around the spool) to a pre-selected position foropening the bail at the casting position. The same mechanism acts as ananti-reverse device for the reel so that the rotor can only be rotated"backward" less than one revolution.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, and shown in FIG. 7, thecentral shaft 300 has a back drag end 301 that has milled opposed flats302 adopted to function with the drag assembly 50 and an undercut groove304 located near the flats 302. The groove 304 has an undercut diameterof "D" with a front groove side 305 and a back groove side 306. Thecircular periphery 307 of the groove 304 is smaller than the circularperiphery 314 of the shaft 300. The shaft 300 has a diameter "A" whichis larger than the diameter "D" of the groove 304. The groove 304 has awidth 313 measured between the sides 305 and 306 and being defined bythe dimension "B".

The oscillator cam assembly 130 is mounted in the gear case 28 incooperative engagement with the oscillator slide 140. In severalembodiments of the invention the slide 140 has an outwardly projectingbifurcated fork or clevis 147, best seen in FIGS. 3, 6 and 7. The forkor clevis 147 has two outwardly projecting lugs 148a and 148b with theinner walls or surfaces 160 defining a space 149 therebetween which isslightly greater than the dimension "B". Each of the lugs 148a and 148bhave holes 149a and 149b therein that are substantially coaxial andslightly larger in diameter than "A". At the bottom of the space 149defined by the surfaces 160 is a base portion 147a.

The center shaft 300 is positioned in the fork or clevis 147 such thatthe front side 305 and the back side 306 are substantially aligned withthe inner walls or surfaces 160. A retainer clip 200 or 200a is pushedover the undercut groove 304 to keep the shaft 300 from sliding out ofthe holes 149a and 149b.

In one preferred embodiment of the invention clearly shown in FIGS. 2, 3and 7, retainer clip 200 is depicted as having at least a partialtriangular shape with a base 201 and resilient legs 202 and 203. Theincluded angle θ between the base 201 and each of the legs 202 and 203is less than 90° as shown in FIG. 2 and preferably in the range of 40°to 65°. The legs 202 and 203 and the base 201 are all springlike andmade from material such as flat spring steel, spring tempered copperalloys or spring-quality plastic. The ends 210a and 210b of the legs 202and 203 are separated by a space having a dimension "F" which is lessthan "D" as shown in FIG. 2. The length of the base 201 and the legs 202and 203 is greater than the shaft 300 diameter "A". In positioning theclip 200 on the undercut groove 304, the ends 210a and 210b spring outallowing the clip to snap over the undercut diameter "D". Each leg 202and 203 has a tang 204 and at the intersection thereof is a radius 211which helps facilitate snapping the clip 200 on the undercut groove 304.

In the embodiment of the invention, as shown in FIG. 2, the base 201 andthe legs 202 and 203 have perpendicular bisectors 205a, 205b, and 205crespectively that meet near a common area 206 close to thecross-sectional center of the undercut groove 204. The threeperpendicular bisectors 205a, 205b and 205c have contact points at 212on the groove 304 that form an included angle "M" that is greater than200° insuring that the clip 200 fits sufficiently around the periphery307 of the undercut groove 304 so that the clip 200 will not come loose.When the slide 140 reciprocates back and forth, the sides 305 and 306push axially on the clip sides 209a and 209b which in turn push againstthe inner walls or surfaces 160 causing the shaft 300 to reciprocate.This cooperative relationshp between the clip 200 and the lugs 148a and148b prevents the shaft 300 from being pushed through the holes 149a and149b.

In another embodiment of the invention, retainer clip 200a, as shown inFIGS. 5 and 6, has a base portion 213 and two bifurcated legs 214 and215 that are separated by centrally oriented hole 216 and slot 217. Atthe open ends 214a and 215a of the legs 214 and 215 there are chamfers219 that connect the ends with the slot 217. The base 213 and the legs214 and 215 are each larger than the shaft 300 diameter "A". The clip200a has sides 218a and 218b that are spaced apart a distance slightlyless than the groove 304 width "B". The clip 200a is preferably madefrom a tough resilient shear-resistant plastic material sufficient forthe legs 214 and 215 to expand over the groove 304 and immediatelythereafter snap back or retract to a position similar to that shown inFIG. 5. Obviously, the base 213 also must have some resiliency or springback. When the clip 200a is in place over the groove 304 which, in turn,is in position between the legs 148a and 148b, the shaft 300 is securedto the slide 140 such that when the slide 140 reciprocates back andforth so does the shaft 300. As can be seen in FIG. 5, the clip 200asurrounds a substantial portion of the groove 304.

It has been found that the clips 200 or 200a can be slightly loose onthe groove 304 thus permitting the shaft 300 to rotate without impairingthe reciprocating motion imparted to the shaft 300. The tangs 204 of theclip 200 or the end of the legs 214a or 214b of the clip 200a contactthe bottom 147a of the fork 147 thereby preventing the clips 200 or 200afrom rotating when the shaft 300 rotates.

In still a further embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 9 and 10,the slide 140 has a side projection 400 extending outwardly in the samemanner as the bifurcated fork or clevis 147. The projection 400 has aportion 401 slightly less in width than "B", a positioning lip 402 and apositioning flang 403. A threaded hole 404 is partially surrounded bythe flang 403. The groove 304 of the shaft 300 straddles the projection400 with the front side 305 and the back side 306 overlapping theportion 401. A strap 406 having a hub section 407 with a cutout portion408 is positioned over the undercut groove 304. The cutout 408 has awidth 411 and a height 414 that are both very slightly larger than "B".Two cutback portions 412 permit the strap 406 to be received andpositioned by the flang 403. Hole 411 permits the strap 406 to betightly secured to the projection 400 by means of screw 405. Obviously,other means for securing the strap to the projection 400 may beutilized, but the screw 405 has been found to be the most convenient. Inoperation, when the slide 140 reciprocates, the projection sides 409 andthe hub sides 410 bear against the groove sides 305 and 306 to impartthe reciprocating motion to the shaft 300. Since the width 411 and theheight 412 are slightly greater than "B" the shaft 300 is free to rotaterelative to the slide without impairing the reciprocating motion.

It should be understood, of course, that the specific forms of theinvention illustrated and described herein are intended to berepresentative only, as certain changes and modifications may be madewithout departing from the scope of the teachings herein disclosed.Accordingly, reference should be made to the appended claims inascertaining the full scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. In a fishing reel having a housing with a frontspool end and a back drag assembly end, a center shaft mounted in thehousing with a drag end projecting into the housing, the shaft generallyhaving a diameter "A" with a groove defining an undercut diameter on theshaft located near the drag end, the diameter of the undercut being "D"and smaller than "A" and the width of the undercut groove being "B", theundercut having a periphery smaller than the periphery of the shaft,means for imparting reciprocating motion to the shaft including areciprocating oscillator slide having a bifurcated fork secured thereto,the fork having first and second lugs with inner walls and a spacebetween the inner walls having a dimension approximately "B", the lugseach having a coaxial hole with a diameter slightly larger than "A", theshaft being slip fitted into the lug holes with the undercut diameterbeing positioned between the inner walls, an improved means for securingthe shaft to the oscillator slide comprising:a retainer clip having aresilient base and two outwardly directed resilient bifurcated legsintegral with the base, the clip having first and second sides common tothe base and the legs and having a width dimension therebetween slightlyless than the dimension "B", the clip tightly mounted on the undercutdiameter and located in the space between the inner walls, the open endsof the bifurcated legs being spaced apart a distance "F" which issmaller than the distance "D", the base and the legs each contacting theundercut diameter at three different contact points on the periphery ofthe groove, the contact points comprising an included angle on theperiphery of more than 200°, the base and legs extending beyond thediameter "A" with the first and second sides adjacent the inner wallsthereby preventing the shaft from moving relative to the lugs.
 2. In aspinning reel having a housing with a front spool end and a back spoolassembly end, a center shaft mounted in the housing with a drag endprojecting into the housing, means within the housing for impartingreciprocating motion to the shaft including a reciprocating oscillatorslide, an improved means for securing the shaft to the slidecomprising:(a) the shaft having a diameter "A" and an undercut grooenear the drag end, the groove having sides and an undercut with adiameter "D" and a width dimension between the sides of "B", (b) clevissecured to the side of the slide and projecting outwardly therefromhaving two lugs, each lug having a hole slightly larger than "A", eachlug having an inner surface and a space between the inner surfaces beingslightly greater than "B", (c) the shaft slip fit into each hole withthe undercut diameter positioned in the space and the groove sidessubstantially aligned with the inner surfaces, (d) a retainer cliphaving a resilient base and first and second inwardly directed resilientbifurcated legs integral with the base, an included angle between thefirst leg and the base being less than 90° and an included angle betweenthe second leg and the base being less than 90°, the base and legsforming a partially triangular shaped cross-sectional configuration,external clip surfaces common to the base and legs defining a clip widthslightly less than the dimension "B", each leg having an open end withthe ends being spaced apart a distance "F" which is less than thediameter "D", the clip mounted on the undercut diameter and located inthe space between the lugs, the base and legs extending beyond thediameter "A" whereby the sides of the grooves bear against the externalclip surfaces which in turn bear against the inner walls preventingrelative sliding movement between the shaft and the slide.
 3. In thereel of claim 2 the holes in the lugs forks of the clevis being coaxial.4. The clip of claim 1 or 2 wherein the open end of each leg has anoutwardly bent tang.
 5. The clip of claim 4 wherein a cross-sectionalview of the undercut and the clip depicts that a perpendicular bisectorof each of the legs and the base meet at an area near the center of theundercut diameter.
 6. The clip of claim 4 wherein an inner radius islocated between the tang and the leg.
 7. The clip of claim 1 or 2wherein the shaft is free to rotate relative to the lugs with the clipmounted in the undercut groove.
 8. The clip of claim 4 wherein the tangprevents the clip from rotating when the shaft rotates relative to thelugs.
 9. The clip of claim 1 or 2 wherein the clip is made from one ofthe materials selected from the group consisting of spring steel, springtempered copper alloys, or plastic.